Houston Astros Minor League Recap: 7/30/13

Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA) - Jake Buchanan was cruising until the sixth inning, when things got a little bumpy against the Reno Aces (ARI). The offense had built up a 3-0 lead, but Tony Campana led off with an infield single in the sixth. After striking out the next batter, Buchanan walked Mike Jacobs. The runners advanced on a wild pitch. One run came in on a Juan Rivera groundout, and another came home on an Alfredo Marte single. Matt Davidson popped out to end the inning and the RedHawks' offense was able to scratch together in the bottom of the frame when Brandon Laird scored on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt. RedHawks held on to win it, with Rhiner Cruz collecting his second save, 4-2.

Oklahoma City: 61-50, 3rd (2.0 GB) - Pacific Coast League American Southern

• LF Ruben Sosa - 1/3, R, BB, SB
• 2B Jose Martinez - 1/4, RBI, K
• DH George Springer - 0/3, RBI, BB, 2 K
• 3B Brandon Laird - 1/4, R
• RF Jimmy Paredes - 1/3, R, BB
• C Carlos Perez - 1/3, RBI, K
• RHP Jake Buchanan - 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 WP
• LHP Eric Berger - 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, WP
• RHP Rhiner Cruz - 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Corpus Christi Hooks (AA) - Ugh. With Mike Foltynewicz on the mound against Keyvius Sampson, this one had the makings of a pitchers' duel... up until the game started. Sampson held up his end of the bargain, allowing three hits, a run, and two walks while striking out five batters through six. Foltynewicz, on the other hand, struggled with his command throughout. He walked as many (5) as he struck out, and added a pair of wild pitches on top of it all. All told, the Hooks struck out eight times and drew just two walks as they fell to the San Antonio Missions (SDP), 4-1.

Corpus Christi: 22-17, 2nd (2.0 GB) - Texas League South

• 2B Ronald Torreyes - 1/4, RBI, K
• LF Preston Tucker - 1/3, BB, K
• DH Max Stassi - 1/4, K
• RF Domingo Santana - 0/4, 3 K
• SS Jio Mier - 1/2, R, BB, E
• RHP Michael Foltynewicz - 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 5 K, 2 WP
• LHP Theron Geith - 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, WP
• RHP Andrew Robinson - 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Lancaster Jethawks (A+) - With Jesse Wierzbicki in town to cover Telvin Nash - who's on the disabled list with a mysterious foot ailment* - the Jethawks took on the Lake Elsinore Storm (SDP). Thomas Shirley left the game with a cramp after facing a single batter in the third inning, but the bullpen and the offense came to the rescue, as Blair Walters, Cameron Lamb, and Tyson Perez combined to finish out the game, and Brandon Meredith blasted a pair of home runs to pull out the 10-4 victory.

Lancaster: 24-15, 1st - California League South

• 2B Delino DeShields - 2/5, PO, E
• SS Nolan Fontana - 1/5, 2B, RBI, 2 K, SB
• CF Andrew Aplin - 1/3, 2B, R, 2 BB, SB
• 1B MP Cokinos - 0/3, R, RBI, 2 BB, E
• C Tyler Heineman - 3/5, 2 2B, R, RBI, K
• 3B Matt Duffy - 2/3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, K
• RF Chris Epps - 1/5, R, RBI, K
• LF Brandon Meredith - 4/4, 2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI
• DH Joe Sclafani - 0/2, R, 2 BB
• LHP Thomas Shirley - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• LHP Blair Walters - 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, HBP
• RHP Cameron Lamb - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• RHP Tyson Perez - 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Quad Cities River Bandits (A) - Postponed: Rain

Tri-City ValleyCats (A-) - Conrad Gregor homered for the first time since June 22, and the Tri-City offense put together eight hits, but they could only manage two runs. Meanwhile, the State College Spikes (STL) offense was cranking. Randall Fant imploded in the third inning, allowing four runs on five hits, and it was more than Tri-City could handle, as they lost their fifth straight, 6-2.

Tri-City: 26-17, 1st - New York-Penn League Stedler

• 2B Tony Kemp - 1/4, K
• SS Chan Moon - 1/4, R, K, SB
• LF Conrad Gregor - 3/4, HR, R, RBI
• RF D'Andre Toney - 1/4, 3 K, SB
• LHP Randall Fant - 3.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Pat Christensen - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• RHP Zach Morton - 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• LHP Albert Minnis - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Greeneville Astros (Rk) - Trailing 6-1 entering the bottom of the eighth inning, the Astros had a lot of work to do against the Burlington Royals (KCR). And work is exactly what they did, as Tyler White and Ricky Gringas singled to lead off the bottom of the eighth. They advanced on a wild pitch, and Ariel Ovando doubled them both home. Another wild pitch advanced Ovando to third, and he scored on an Alfredo Gonzalez groundout. Burlington put up another run in the ninth, and the Astros set back to work. Thomas Lindauer struck out swinging before Marc Wik singled and Juan Santana doubled. White popped out, but with two outs, Gringas singled home the two runners. Ultimately, though, Gringas (well, Tanner Mathis, his pinch-runner) was stranded at first as the tying run. Astros lose, 7-6.

Greeneville: 25-13, 1st - Appalachian League West

• CF Marc Wik - 3/5, R, CS
• 2B Juan Santana - 2/5, 2B, R, K
• DH Ricky Gringas - 2/4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K
• RF Ariel Ovando - 2/4, 2B, R, 2 RBI, K
• RHP Edison Frias - 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 2 WP
• RHP Tyler Brunnemann - 1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Ryan Connolly - 1.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

GCL Astros (Rk) - With a slim 3-2 lead heading into the ninth inning, the Astros rallied for three more runs in the top of the frame against the GCL Yankees2 (NYY) and went on to win, 6-3. A solid start by Agapito Barrios was followed by an inning each from five different pitchers, only one of whom gave up any earned runs.

GCL Astros: 16-16, 3rd (5.0 GB) - Gulf Coast League Northeast

• CF Jason Martin - 2/4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K, CS
• LF Javaris Reynolds - 2/5, 3B, R, RBI, 3 K
• SS Jose Fernandez - 2/5, R, K, 2 E
• C Jacob Nottingham - 1/4, 2B
• RHP Agapito Barrios - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• RHP Zachary Dando - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

DSL Astros (Rk) - The Astros put a four-spot on the board in the fourth against the DSL Dodgers (LAD) and never looked back, thanks to five extra-base hits - including two from Luis Payano, who was just a home run away from the cycle - and a stunning one error. Yonquelys Martinez struck out three over three innings, allowing just two hits and a walk. The Astros, meanwhile, capitalized on some wildness from Francisco Martinez as they won, 8-2.

DSL Astros: 25-24, 4th (7.0 GB) - Dominican Summer League Boca Chica Northwest

• CF Luis Payano - 3/5, 2B, 3B, R
• SS Kristian Trompiz - 2/5, 2B, R, E
• 2B Jean Estrella - 3/4, 2B, 2 R, 2 SB
• RHP Elieser Hernandez - 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• RHP Yonquelys Martinez - 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K